Cuomo Outlines Plan to Gradually Reopen New York, Starting May 15

New York - With hospitalizations and death rates from the coronavirus down by a third, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday outlined a plan to gradually reopen New York state, beginning next month with upstate counties.

The plan, which will begin with construction and manufacturing hubs, will be implemented in phases and will have a two-week break in between each stage to assess its safety.

The proposal, announced at Cuomo’s daily press conference at noon, envisions beginning with regions that have experiences a 14-day decline in the hospitalization rate from the high of three weeks ago. The state is closely monitoring the hospitalization rate, the infection rate and the number of positive antibody tests in any given county.

If the construction and manufacturing industries reopen safely, phase two will open other industries based on priority and risk level. Businesses considered "more essential" with inherent low risks of infection in the workplace and to customers will be prioritized, followed by other businesses considered "less essential" or those that present a higher risk of infection spread.

As the infection rate declines, the pace of reopening businesses will be increased. Businesses that draw a large number of visitors from outside the local area will be last on the list.

New York has seen 5,902 additional cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours, bringing the statewide total to 288,045. This includes 3,145 new cases in New York City, about half the number of a few weeks ago.

The state had 367 deaths since Friday morning, a drastic plunge from the nearly 1,000 seen each day in the beginning of April.